Precious Pearl
by Mermaid Otaku
Summary: One mermaid, who had stay in the safety of her reef, must now embark on a dangerous journey in hopes to find her mother and her pod. But on her journey she accidentally stumbles upon Lalotai, and the lair of Tamatoa. And since she's a mermaid she's able to find all the gold and treasure he could ever want. (Loosely inspired by the Last Unicorn)
1. Where Are You?

**Hi readers, Now before you start reading I should mention that the reference to this story is kinda the same to the book "The Last Unicorn". I didn't make this into a crossover because its a mermaid and the story is more on trying to escape from the 'claws' of Tomatoa.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _It was a stormy night, lighting hit the ocean, as giant waves formed, and smashed down. Under the water, it was dark, and there was a panic. Swimming as fast as they could, a pod of mermaids swimming for there lives. Young, old, mothers pulling their little ones along trying to escape the creature that was chasing them. The safety of their home was no longer safe, but swimming in to open ocean was even more dangerous, for there was no where to hide, all they could do was swim and hope that they were fast enough._

 _Out of the rush of frantic mermaids, one mother pulled her little seven year old daughter, trying to stay close to the pod._

 _"Mama!" The little mermaid cried, terrified on what was going on. "Mama! What's happening?! Why are we leaving the reef?!"_

 _"Aqua, there's no time to explain!" Her mother cried, gripping her daughter's wrist even tighter. "Just stay close! Don't let go of ma-" Just out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a small grotto, to small for her, but big enough for her child._

 _As she pushed through the crowd, she swam down and pushed her daughter in as far in as she could. Looking her daughter in the eyes she said. "Aqua, you stay in here, do not leave the safety of the grotto. Do you understand?"_

 _"W-what? But mama, you said the reef isn't safe anymore!" Aqua cried, scared out of her mind._

 _"Listen to me my pearl," her mother held her head in her hands, "We will drive the monster far away from here. You will be safe as long as you stay out of sight. Mama will come back and find you, alright? Do you understand?" Her worried looked frightened her daughter, but she nodded. she gave one last big hug and kiss. "I love you my precious pearl. Mama will come back, I promise." With that said, she let go of her child and swam off to catch up with the pod._

 _Aqua shook so badly, as she wrapped her arms around herself for comfort, looking at the entrance of the grotto she watched as the dark blue water turned pitch black, and the sounds of a large creature roaring. Very quickly passing the cave she saw a large dark serpent like figure, the body was jagged with the jaws of an angler fish and jagged sharp teeth. Attached to the body were large spear like tentacles, but the thing that showed out was the single eye on its side, a sickly yellow color no pupil that glowed in the dark water. It was so fast that it quickly swam past her after the pod._

 _Aqua closed her eyes, praying that this was all a nightmare and it would go away. "Go away...Go away...Mama...Mama..."_

* * *

Gasping for water, Aqua sat up from her clam shell bed. Looking around she saw that she was safe in her grotto home, and that it was just a nightmare.

"Again..." She sighed out putting a hand to her heart. "That dream always haunted me, I just wish it would stop." Stretching her arms up, she slowly swam out of bed and over to her small pile of sunken treasure.

In instinct, mermaids have a way of finding treasure, as well as a love for it. They saw it as gifts from human, as mermaids were considered gods, and wore them that way. Aqua sat down on her pile of gold coins, and picked up a soled gold comb. Looking herself if a broken mirror she combed her pastel orange hair, but it wasn't easy underwater, since it floated everywhere. She then opened an empty oyster filled with pears and placed them all in her hair. Then lastly her favorite accessory, a pink shell with laced pink pearls hanging from the side. She clipped it on the right side of her hair.

Next was her atlantis armor. A mermaid's head and torso is the same as a human female, they could have varieties of different skin colors depending on what habitat they lived in, but were still lightly covered in scales. The only part of their body was completely covered was the breasts, that covered her on the sides, in a V neck, down to her waste and her tail. Every mermaid had a unique style in armor or human clothing, Aqua's atlantis armor was like a bikini top and belt. the golden chain covered in jewels wrapped under her breasts and around the back of her neck. Where as the chain belt that matched wrapped around her hips just above her tail.

Checking herself in the mirror, she nodded happily at her work, before swimming out of her home. She lived in a large coral reef that stretched for two miles. Not to far was a island, which was inhabited by humans, and she would often see their canoes on the reef fishing. When out of her grotto Aqua would go out hunting for fish, squid, or whatever she could hunt for, and sometimes go looking for treasure. She carried a spear she made out of a piece of drift wood, and a barb of a sting ray tied together with seaweed.

As she swam above the coral looking around she spotted a pod of dolphins with their calves, playing together and having fun. Aqua suddenly felt very sad, it had been ten years sense the attack on the reef, and her pod had not returned, nor had her mother. Aqua managed to keep herself alive from what she had learned from the pod, but her loneliness grew more and more each day.

"She promised..." She muttered. "Mama will come back." She tried to keep her chin up, not to give up hope. Ignoring those negative thoughts she swam on. Off in the distance, she spotted a school of fish, and like a torpedo she swam after them. But just before she reached them, she looked above the surface to see a human boat and just in time, because a net was suddenly thrown overboard trapping the school inside.

"Oh, come on!" She growled, glaring up at the boat. Now usually she was told not to go near humans, but some times the elders from her pod would say human respect mermaids, and if were spotted would offer them something. Where as others would say that they would capture them as slaves in hopes that they would bring treasure to them. And then some would say they would be killed for their tails, for if you were to eat mermaid flesh you could live young and pure forever, or have it backfire and turn into a mutant fish monster. Not really choosing either one of those, Aqua swam on the other side of the boat and peeked up above the surface.

There were only two men on boat trying to hall in their catch. "Boy, the fishing is doing very good this week, isn't it?" The younger male asked, smiling at the older one.

"Yes, life is slowing coming back to this reef, wish I could say the same for the mermaids." The old male said.

That got Aqua's attention, as she listen closer.

"Mermaids?" The younger man laughed. "I think you've been out of the sun to long, they're just myths and legends."

"About ten years ago there was a great storm that shook the island, destroying half this reef. Damage like that would take a millennium to recover, as well for the creatures to come back. But a mermaid's love over her home, can easily bring life back."

 _He is right,_ Aqua thought. _Mama said the reason our reef was so pure and almost untouched was because of we've protected it for so long._

"Ha ha, whatever you say old man, but I'm not going to show my gratitude on the fishing just for some _fake goddess._ " That ticked off Aqua. lifting her hand up she magically formed a ball of water, and hovered it over the young man's head before releasing it, soaking him. He gasped out in surprise, as the older man chuckled.

"I told you, there is one mermaid left in this reef. We must show some respect to her." The two men finished holing in their net full of fish before heading back to the island. Aqua ducked back under the boat and watched it turn, but not before she heard the old man say. "Stay where you are mermaid, the ocean is no longer safe for your kind. Stay in your reef with your friends. And good luck to you, for you are the last." And after that he untied his shell arm bracelet, and threw it in the water as a gift, before the boat steered away.

Aqua watched it leave as the bracelet floated down, caching it in her hand. "I am the only mermaid there left in the ocean? The last?" She asked looking down at the bracelet. "That...can't be..!"

* * *

It was late in the after noon, Aqua was sitting down on some coral, she had caught a mackerel for lunch, but she more played with her food then ate it. What the human had said was bothering her. "I can't be, I can't be the last. What do humans know, just because they haven't seen us in a while, doesn't mean we've all disappeared." She glanced down at her tail and saw a small cuttlefish eyeing her meal, smiling she offered the rest to cephalopod as it happily ate it. "I maybe the only one in the reef, but we don't disappear. Mermaids have been around for thousands of years, in times of gods. We can live up to a thousand. We can be hunted captured, even be killed, but we don't disappear!"

Aqua shook her head before swimming off. "Why am I even thinking that, what a stupid thought, I can't be-" Suddenly she got a flash back on what had happen ten years ago. The panic, hiding, the terrifying roars, the monster that was changing them. "That thing...it couldn't have. What if...no! No, don't think like that Aqua!" She slapped her cheeks shaking that thought out of her head. She stopped swimming and turned to the side, where the reef drops off to open sea. "I've never known what is out beyond the reef. Can I truly be the last?" She wrapped her arms around herself frowning sadly.

All of the suddenly she heard a noise, it sounded like someone singing, and it was coming up behind her. Turning around she saw a marlin flipping around and jumping out of the water. " _~Can't swim so I took a boat, to an island so remote~"_ he sang as she swam right up to Aqua. " _~Stayed there 'till the air was clear. I was bored and out of tears. Then I saw you washed up on the shore~_. How do you do maiden?" He bowed his head to her.

The golden mermaid couldn't help but giggle. "Hello marlin, welcome to my reef, have you traveled far?" She asked the dancing fish.

" _~How far will I travel~ To be with you_ " He sang in and out of his sentences, as he swam around her. _"~If to just gaze at your beauty~"_ gracing his fin through her flowing hair

"You're certainly not shy." Aqua pulled her hair back. "Marlin, do you know what I am?" Aqua asked. Marlin travel war out to sea, maybe he had seen other mermaids.

"Well you're a beauty in the water. _~You're my everything, you are my sunshine. You're my angel on the beeeach!~"_ He sang jumping out of the water.

"I'm being serous though. Do you, or do you not?"

 _"Its hard to tell~"_ He hummed, circling her.

"I should know better then ask a marlin that doesn't spend more then three minutes in one place." Aqua sighed, watching the marlin sing some more. She tried another way. "Marlin, in all of your traveling, have you seen someone like me? Or maybe more?"

 _"Hmm, it's hard to say~ A beautiful angel-fish such as yourself if very rare."_

"I guess I shouldn't have put in so much hope." Aqua sighed starting to swim away from the singing fish. "But I guess you mean well." The marlin kept singing swimming around her, seeing her as good company. Aqua tried to put her distance between them. "I hope you hear many more songs along the way. But I must find someone who knows me, and maybe have seen others like me."

Just when she was headed back to her grotto the Marlin spoke up but not in song, stopping her. "Mermaid: a creature with the head and trunk of a female human, and tail of a fish. Conventionally depicted as beautiful, with long flowing golden hair, and a voice like bell. Mermaid." He smiled.

Aqua gasped, smiling happily. "You do know what I am! Please, I'm asking, if you've seen other mermaids like me somewhere in the ocean. Maybe you've even seen my pod?! Tell me where I can find them!" Aqua begged stopping him from leaving.

The marlin turned back, his smile gone, looking very serious. "Please listen carefully to me, goddess. You can find the others if you our brave. They past down the ocean current long ago and the Leviathan swam close behind them covering their trail."

"The Leviathan..." Aqua gasped. Was that the monster she saw all those years ago? "What is Leviathan?"

The marlin then bowed again to her. "His prize capture, it's highness. And the tentacles of a giant squid. With them it shall push the mermaids, all of them to the there ocean touches rock. Listen, listen listen!" He jumped around.

"I am listening! Where our the other mermaids and what is the Leviathan?" Aqua tried to ask, but the marlin chuckled getting lost in his singing again, and swam off over the drop out, back to open sea. Aqua watched him till he was out of sight. "He said I could find the others. So there is hope!"

* * *

The moon light glistened through the ocean as a dark blue blanket covering the reef. Inside her grotto Aqua looked out, watching day go to night.

"I have never left my home. I promised Mama I would stay and wait for her. But...I must know if I am the only mermaid left in the ocean. What if they're all waiting for me, Mama too. What they need my help?" She thought back on what the marlin told her.

 _"They past down the ocean current long about and the Leviathan swam close behind them covering their trail."_ The image of the Leviathan chasing mermaids out to open sea scared her, she shook that image out of her head.

She looked over the reef again, she could stay in the reef, where it is safe. But if she dose then she will forever live along, and the thought of leaving the other mermaids to die was to grave on her. Making up her mind she decided.

Grabbing a leather shoulder bag she found from her collecting, she packed food, extra sting ray barbs, and seaweed. She unclipped her seashell and put it in the bag for safety. She tied her hair back in a ponytail and grabbing her spear, she swam through the reef till she reached the drop off. Taking a deep breath she looked back at her home, many of the sea creatures came to watch their protector depart. Taking one last look, she swam off as fast as she could, not looking back.

"I must go quickly, and bring my pod home." She vowed, as she disappeared into open sea.

 _"You can find the others, if you are brave."_


	2. It's A Big Ocean Out There

For about three days, Aqua had been on her journey. She found out very quickly how big open sea is, and that you _CAN NOT_ get tired, otherwise you'll float to the depths. Luckily she found a whale here and there and they'd offered her a break, and directions. Finding food was a little bit harder also and there weren't many choices, either something was too big, too small, or other _"I'm not getting eaten today!"_

Aqua had been traveling northeast further out, and where there were more islands. The marlin said _"where ocean touches rock"_ , but that was all he said. Aqua assumed he meant an island, but there were so many. Not to mention the Leviathan, what if she runs into it, what if it attacks her or worse!

Aqua groaned from exhaustion, flopping her body down on the back of a fin whale. "Way is the ocean so big..?"

The whale chuckled listening to his little hick-hiker. _"Yep,_ it's pretty big, most of this world is nothing but ocean."

"It will take me forever to find the others!" Aqua cried out.

"Hey try and keep your chin up, I'm sure you'll find your pod. And all bet that some one else has seen them. A sign will come, you just have to keep yourself alert."

The golden mermaid sighed, laying on her back she gazed up at the surface. The sun's rays reflected through the blue water onto her scales making them glistened like gold.

"I should let you know, the further out you go the higher chances you'll have of running into _other_ creatures."

Aqua sat up, curious on that he meant. "What do you mean? What kind of creatures? Not something...dangerous right?" She asked, getting a little scared.

"Boy, you have lived in salutary. No they're more like you, creatures from myths and legends, gods that are worshiped by humans. But yes some are monstrous."

Aqua gulped shaking a little. Great not only did she have to worry about the Leviathan but she had to look out for multiple monstrosities?!

Suddenly the current got a lot stronger. Aqua flipped on her stomach grabbing her spear as she griped the whale tighter. "Hang on tight back there, the current just picked up." The fin whale said, as he pushed on.

Aqua held on as tight as she could. The current then jostled them as they went as fast as a torpedo. Through all the flailing Aqua's bag slipped off her arm. "My bag!" She cried watching it sink. "I have to go get it!" She jumped off the whale swimming back for it.

"Wait! I won't be able to come back for you!" The fin whale cried but it was too late, the current pulled him away leaving Aqua alone, in the middle of nowhere.

Aqua swam as fast as she could to reach her bag, stretched her spear out hooking the strap, she grabbed it. Hugging it to her chest she tried to catch her breath. She opened her bag to make sure everything was still inside, but what she was most concerned about was her shell hair clip, thankfully it was safe too. Sighing in relief she swung the bag back over her shoulder, but when she turned around and looked up the whale was gone.

Aqua groaned out. "Great, lost my ride." She did a full circle. "No signs of life anywhere." She swam up it she reached the surface. "And no land...AAAHHH!" She screamed in rage. "What am I supposed to do now?!" Squinting her eyes she looked up at the sun, it was noon. So if the sun rises in the east and sets in the west then she could still figure out where she needed to go.

Gathering her coordinates, Aqua dived back down and swam east.

* * *

It was around late evening, and Aqua was exhausted, her tail was so tired she couldn't even keep a float. Good thing luck was on her side, coming up she saw a cliff rock. She looked up at the cliff then down to the dark depths. Aqua suddenly felt a strange tingle go up her spine, she recognized that feeling, that only happens when she senses treasure. And it was coming from down below.

It was dark, too dark to see, but if treasure was down there, maybe she could sleep on the ocean floor. Finding her courage and gripping her spear tight ,she slowly swam down. She swam for a about five minutes till she spotted something. A pole with a flag of it, the skull and cross bones made it clear, this was a pirate ship. Swimming out around it she got a full view of it. It had been split in half, and by the look of it, had been sunken for a long time. Aqua was use to little ships nothing big, so seeing something this large amazed her, there was probably thirdly rooms inside, maybe a even bed room for her to rest in.

Looking like it was deserted she swam threw one of the cannon holes leaning into the gallery. It was a lot bigger inside then it looked. Aqua was mesmerized. "Wow, this place is huge." She said, swimming around eyeing everything. "I wonder what it was like before it sunk." She looked at one of the cannons. She then noticed another hole in the ceiling leading up to the next floor. While she swam up, she didn't notice the large tentacles coming from outside the ship.

Aqua then found a room that she quite liked, the caption's cabin. This room looked like it belonged to a king, golden swirls on the wood work, emerald green curtains on the windows, and a golden chandler. There were three chest filled with gold and jewels that spilled out onto the floor, a red wardrobe on the right side wall, but what really stood out was in the center of the room. A table and chair with silverware for dinning, and in the chair was the skeleton caption. Aqua had seen drowned bodies before, and wasn't faced by it, so it was not a shocking reveal. But something caught Aqua's attention from behind the skeleton, a big comfy bed next to the windows.

"Thank Neptune." She swam over and jumped on the bed, sighing in comfort. She set her bag and spear down and dozed off to sleep.

But unbeknownst to her, something was watching her.

* * *

Aqua slept through out the night, when morning came she sat up stretching her arms. "Ah, I haven't slept that good in a long time." She sighed. Looking around the room, she decided to look around, even though she couldn't bring all this stuff with her a little digging around wouldn't hurt. Going through the gold she found lots of things that caught her eye, but she fought to try and not take any of it, she was on a mission, treasure was not important right now.

Next she turned to the wardrobe, now Aqua has found human clothing before she just didn't think they were worth much, and seemed uncomfortable. Especially when it came to the lower half when humans wore "skirts" they looked like restraints on their legs. But she had wondered what is was like to wear clothes, I mean she wore her Atlantis armor and that was kind of like clothes. Pulling open the doors she gazed at the colorful fabric that floated in the water. There were so many choices.

"Wow..." Aqua gasped as she pulled out the clothes one by one. There was a a large mirror on the wall, she then got an idea. Dress up!

The first thing she dress up in was what she assumed belonged to the captain clothes. A long red coat with silver buttons, with matching cuffs,and collar, a big hat with peacock feathers on the side, a gold eye-patch on her right eye and a sword. _"AROGH!"_ She yelled, swinging the sword around. _"Swosh swosh, buckle buckle!"_ She laughed, thinking she looked ridiculous. "Okay, what else is there?"

To her surprise she found dresses, something only the females would wear. _"Ahh,_ was this a gift for someone?" She smirked, asking the skeleton pirate. "For your girlfriend back home." She held it up in front of her measuring it out. It was a white sleeveless ball gown, with gold trim over the shoulders. Aqua gazed at herself in the mirror, wondering what it would be like to be human, but she quickly brushed it off, how silly of her to think that.

She then noticed a some white fabric. Curious, she set the dress down and pulled it out. The fabric was silky with a maya blue color on the bottom and gold trim. Aqua eyed the fabric loving the soft feel under her scaly hand, she wanted to wear it, but how? It was just a pieces of cloth, unless. Taking off her armor and belt she ripped a layer off, then wrapped the fabric around her hips and tied it to the side like a sarong, then she took the smaller piece and tied it around her breast. Turning back to the mirror, it looked like she was wearing a knee high skirt with a matching top.

Aqua smiled as she twirled, loving how the clothing looked on her. unbeknownst to her, giant tentacles were surrounding the ship as one very large eye peered into the cabin. Suddenly a very loud yet feminine voice said, _**"That looks great on you."**_

 _"AAAHHHH!"_ Aqua screamed, turning around to see a large glowing yellow eye staring at her. Quickly she ducked under the table thinking it was the Leviathan.

 _ **"Do not be afraid goddess covered in gold, I mean you no harm. I am Kraken."**_ It said to her in a deep feminine voice.

"Kraken?" Aqua whispered, she had hear of that name before. Slowly she came out from under the table and looked back at the eye. "You wouldn't happen to be _the_ Kraken, the giant octopus, ship sinker, terror of the deep?"

The giant octopus chuckled causing the ship to shake. _**"Yes, that is I. And I know what you are, mermaid, P**_ ** _oseidon's_** _ **daughter, known for your singing and love for treasure."**_

"W-well it's not a big love." Aqua blushed, rubbing the back of her head. "I'm very sorry for intruding on your home, I thought it was empty."

The Kraken shook her head. _**"No need, at the time you seemed tired. I am curious though, what is a beautiful creature like you doing all the way out here?"**_

"I am on a search, to find my pod, and the rest of the mermaids."

 _ **"Ah yes, I have heard of the disappearance of the mermaids."**_ The Kraken blinked her eye. _**"The Leviathan. It is just like me, just like you, creatures of the ocean, legends, gods even. We do not harm each other unless we must. The Leviathan is a prisoner of the Emperor..."**_

"Prisoner? Emperor..?" Aqua asked, swimming closer to the window.

 _ **"A human who thinks he can tame us like animals, and command us."**_ The Kraken hissed, becoming angry. _**"The Leviathan is being used, to gather all the mermaids and bring them back to him."**_

"Please, just tell me where this Emperor is. If he is holding the mermaids hostage then I must save them!" Aqua pleaded.

 _ **"He is far north, on a jagged rock castle surrounded by ocean. The water there has been tainted black, nothing lives nor grows there. It is a toom."**_ The Kraken blinked again. _**"If I were you, I would not go there. You will see the same fate as did you kind."**_

Aqua looked to the ground, taking in what she said. She was right, if she got anywhere near there the Leviathan would shurley capture her, that is if she even makes it that far.

 _ **"But if you must go, there is a way in tricking him."**_ Aqua looked back up at the eye. _**"Before you were mermaids, you were humans."**_ Aqua's eyes widen, as the Kraken pointed a tentacle at her. _**"Many do not know this because they have forgotten this ability. If you were to go on soled land and get completely dry, your scales will turn into skin, your gills will become lungs, and your tail will split into two legs. You will be a human."**_

Aqua gasped out stumbling back a bit. _'Human? I could be human? I could walk on land, have legs?!'_ She looked back to the giant squid. "Really, I can do that?"

The Kraken nodded. _**"Yes, but be warned, if you touch or even get the tiniest bit of water on you, your legs will go back into a tail and become a mermaid again. Use**_ ** _caution_** _ **."**_

Aqua nodded, grabbing her spear and stuffing her armor if her bag, she gave a slight bowed to the giant octopus in respect. "Thank you Kraken, your kindness and wisdom is appreciated." She then glanced down at the clothing she was wearing. She really loved it and didn't want to leave it behind. "Umm..."

 _ **"Keep it,"**_ The Kraken smiled, _**"And I wish you all the luck in the sea."**_

Aqua nodded, before swimming to the door, to the deck. But was blocked my a giant tentacle. She looked back to see the massive Kraken pull her body up onto the deck. _**"There is something else I should warn you about. The further you travel, the higher the chance you'll run into him."**_

"Him? Him how?" Aqua asked.

 _ **"A monstrous**_ ** _crustacean with a hunger for shiny things. If he catches you,"_** She pointed her tentacle at the mermaid, _**"You will face an even greater**_ ** _torture_** _ **then your kind has with the Emperor."**_ She moved her tentacle out of the way, before smiling. _**"Good luck to you."**_

"Thank you." Aqua bowed again. Swimming away from the ship she waved goodbye, as the Kraken did the same, till the ship was out of sight. And ones again, Aqua was on her own.


	3. Legs And A Demigod

**Hi everyone! it's been a while. So I noticed some spelling errors in the last two chapters so I went ahead I took care of those. I also noticed that in the second chapter I didn't notify about Aqua's spear, she still has it! I also changed a little bit around Aqua, in her age and appearances. I know it must be a pain that I go back and re-fix things, you don't have to go back and reread them. Anyway, hope you enjoy chapter three!**

* * *

A week had past sense the meeting with the Kraken, Aqua took her directions and traveled north. Finding a whale or a shark or even anything to hitch-hike with was becoming difficult if not impossible. She was exhausted, swimming for a solid 72 hours, she was losing energy fast. Not only that, she had run out of food, and if she didn't rest or eat soon her body would give out.

As she swam along, she heard someone singing, looking up ahead she saw a humpback whale with her cafe. The baby nuzzled his mother under neath her head as she sang a lullaby to her cafe. It was such a beautiful sound, and the way she saw them together reminded her of home, back when her mother was with her.

* * *

 _"Where are you?" Aqua's mother called out, smiling. She looked through the the crevices of coral trying to find her little merchild._

 _Hiding under some coarl, five year old Aqua muffled her giggling. She was playing hide and seek with her mama, her favorite game._

 _"Where has my precious pearl gone to?" Her mother asked, swimming through the crevices. She unknowingly swam right above Aqua's little hideout, before swimming around the corner._

 _Thinking that the cost was clear, Aqua came out from hiding. She giggled swimming backwards in the opposite way keeping an eye on where her mother went. Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around her pulling her close to someone._

 _"Gotcha!" Aqua squealed and laughed as she and her mother tumbled down the little hill of coral before landing in a bed of soft anemones._

 _Aqua laughed as her mother started tickling her. "Mama, stop!" She begged, flapping her tail around in a_ _attempt_ _to escape. Her mother giggled, but listened. Aqua got comfortable in her lap, resting her head against her chest. "Hey mama, can you sing me a song, please?"_

 _"Which one?" Her mother asked, smiling down at her child, while stroking her daughter's hair._

 _"The one you grew up with, from the Caribbean."_

 _Her mother smiled, she wrapped her arms around her child and said, "Of course my precious pearl." She then started humming the tune, before singing._

 _~Upon one summer's morning I carefully did stray_  
 _Down by the walls of wapping where I met a sailor gay_

 _Conversing with a young lass who seem'd to be in pain_  
 _Saying: "William, when you go I fear you'll ne'er return again..._

 _My heart is pierced by Cupid I disdain all glittering gold there is nothing can console me, but my jolly sailor bold_  
 _His hair it hangs in ringlets his eyes black as coal my happiness attend him wherever he may go_

 _From tower hill to Blackwell, I'll wander, weep and moan, all for my jolly sailor until he sails home_  
 _My heart is pierced by Cupid I disdain all glittering gold there is nothing can console me...but my jolly sailor bold~_

 _Aqua smiled, turning around to face her, she wrapped her arms around her neck hugging her. "I love you mama."_

 _"I love you more my precious pearl." Her mother said, hugging her daughter back._

* * *

Aqua sniffled her nose, if mermaid could cry underwater Aqua would be sobbing. But she had to stay strong, she will find her mother and the pod, she will bring them back, all of them. Pressing on, Aqua suddenly felt uneasy. Groaning, she breached the surface and floated on her back trying to keep herself from sinking, she held onto her spear in her hand the best she could. "If I don't find food or land soon...I'll die." She sighed out, gazing at the sky. It was very cloudy and she could not see the sun, without it she couldn't tell if she was still going north, but she was too tired to care now.

"I'll just...rest my eyes a little...Then I'll right back to swimming..." Aqua whispered to herself, she was losing it. Closing her eyes, she listened to the water drifting around her. Everything was so quiet...so peaceful...

Suddenly there was an awful squawking noise startling Aqua from her rest. Blinking she looked up to see a gull flying right past her. Flipping back she watch it fly off, she new birds don't travel very far to open sea, so that must mean...

"Land..." She gasped, there's land near by! Suddenly finding her strength she swam like a best following the gull.

She probably swam after it for about twenty minutes till she saw a shape off the distance. A small rocking island, and not to far. Using up the last bit of strength she had she swam up to it, and pulled herself up on the beach she threw her spear on the sand and clasped.

* * *

She slept for half an hour, small waves washed over her tail so she didn't dry up. Groaning she slowing pulled her body up, dusting away the sand that stuck to her scaly skin. She looked around the island, if she could all it that it looked like nothing more then a pile of rocks with a beach, and some bit of green, other then that it was nothing more then a bird pit stop.

"I wonder where I am now." Aqua sighed, looking back to the water. Her stomach growled, as she hug her torso. "I need to find food fast." She then saw something that looked curious, watching the water she saw something moving and it was fast. Not only that but where was some commotion happening, that's when she released what it was. "Feeding frenzy!"

She grabbed her spear and dove right back into the water. Swimming out to deeper water she saw a bait ball of sardines, and circling around it were giant tunas, blue sharks, marlins, even gulls diving down trying to get a share. Not wanting to miss out of the buffet she swam straight through the ball, sardines swam every which way trying to escape the attack while also trying to stay together. Aqua also had to be careful and mind the other creatures that were feeding as well. Weapon out, she speared three sardines like a shish-kebab, but she wasn't finished she put the fish in her bag to catch some more.

* * *

After catching her fill and more, Aqua sat back on the beach enjoying her seventh sardine. She sighed happily now full. The rest she didn't eat were in her bag as a later meal. "Much better." She smiled, leaning back on her hands, after getting some rest and food she was ready to start traveling again.

But the sand under her hands got her thinking, she was on dry land, and if this Emperor was on a rocky island that would mean she would have _'walk'_ on land. She remembered what the Kraken told her, how she would dry out her tail and it would turn into legs. Could she really do it? Can she become human? At first she didn't think she would ever need to, not to mention want to be, but she did always wonder what it was like, humans were interesting creatures.(but not that interesting to be one) If she could become human, it could give her an advantage.

Looking down at her golden tail, the image of it splitting in two sounded like it would hurt badly. Shivering she knew she didn't have many options, so she decided to give it a try.

Pulling herself further on the beach till the water didn't touch her she took off her Atlantis armor, and waited for her body to dry. Aqua immediately felt very uncomfortable as if she was going to suffocate or burn. (Even though there was no sun out) She gasped out even though her gills would do nothing, as she flipped her tail back and forth from the discomfort of dry scaly skin. When she was completely dry, her body started to tingle, her scales started fade into skin, her gills started changing to lungs. She gasped out her first breath of air which felt like dried up water. The scales around her breast and tail faded away, her tail were now soft skin and the fin changed into feet, but it wasn't over yet. Aqua cried out in pain as her skinned tail started to break from between her hips down to her new feet as they split into five round toes. Trying to make the progress go faster she tried to rip her knees apart from each other, it worked but the pain was too much.

Aqua screamed out in pain, and collapsed on her back painting, she was sweating and her legs shook uncontrollably. "I hope this gets better the more I do this." Aqua gasped out. "Otherwise...I'm going to have to think of a new idea." She lifted her hand up to her face studying it, the scaly gold skin now showed more on her far skin color. Sitting up she tucked her dry hair out of her face, finding it annoying on how easily it got in her face. She looked down to her chest her scaled covered chest her now bar, but what she was very interested in was her 'legs'.

They were long, slim, and fair like her skin, she moved them up to her torso and kicked them back, her kicked her feet, digging them in the sand. She smiled in astonishment lifting the right one up, she bent it up to her face, and wiggled her toes. "Wow...this is," she tried standing but her legs shook causing her to fall back, "Ow! This is...incredible!" She tried again using a rock for balance. "Holy Neptune!" She cried.

Her legs wobbled but she kept her balance, pushing off the rock she took her very first steps. "One in front of the other, one in front of the other." She told herself, till she started getting the hang of it. Giggling she twirled around and jumped into the air, then losing her balance and fell on her butt. She laughed some more, looking back down at her legs but something didn't feel right, she was completely bare.

She never saw humans without their clothes on, (and the thought of it disturbed her) looking back at her bag she walked over to it. Thankfully it was compliantly dried, she pulled out the sarong skirt and top and wrapped it around her hips and chest, the skirt was an inch above her knees. Smiling she twirled again.

Her happy moment was cut short when she suddenly heard a voice grumbling. Thinking quick she grabbed her bag and spear and hid behind the rocks. Peaking over she saw a human male very large and muscular from any other males she had seen, his body was covered in tattoos, he had long curly back hair, and wore a skirt mad out of leafs and a tooth necklace. He held a piece of string with a tiny man made hook in his and he stomped over to the rocky edge on the island, he sat down and threw his line out in the water.

To Aqua's point of view; he looked like he was trying to fish, but with that kind of line he'd have better luck hunting sand flys. Now, at this point Aqua would have let the human be and swim off, but following the gull to the island caused her to go off course, not to mention the sky was still clouded so she couldn't turn to the sun again. Not only that but something about this human seemed off to her, like he looked human but his ora wasn't, and he seemed to be the only person on the island, so if he attacks she can easily escape.

Taking a deep breath, she came out from her hiding place and walked/wobbled over to his rocky perch. Clearing her throat, getting a little nervous sense this was her first time interacting with humans she wanted to make a good first impression. "Excuse me." She called out. The man jumped started by her voice, he turned around eyes wide. "Hi, sorry for startling you, but I'm a little lost here can you point me to where north is?" She smiled politely.

The human opened and closed his mouth trying to find his voice the way he was acting it seemed like she was the only ' _human'_ he had seen in years. "Who-how, how did you get here? Who are you?" He asked.

"My names Aqua."

He suddenly got this big smile on his face, which creeped her out a little. "Well then Aqua did you paddle all the way out here on your boat just to come gazed a pond the great Maui?" He said standing up and started flexing his arms.

"Uh...no, I didn't paddle and swam." Aqua didn't really care if she told him what she was, seeing as that he wasn't really a threat, or at least she thought so. "And I've never heard about you."

Maui's smile turn frown, feeling a little pried hurt. "Don't be silly, there isn't an island for miles, no way you could have just swam here." He looked her up and down. "For a human, you sure are pale."

Aqua frowned her brows together. "So what makes you the great Maui? You look like any normal human I've seen." She asked, wondering what he really was and why he called her human.

"Okay, you must have been living under a rock if you've never heard of me. I'm Maui: shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, hero of man." He flashed her a smiled. Aqua got the feeling he like telling people that a lot.

Aqua had heard of a few demigods but she lived far south-west so demigods weren't really a big deal from her territory. "Okay then demigod Maui I've been traveling and have lost my way, can you please point me to where north is?" She tried again.

Maui looked at her trying to figure out what she was, like he said she was way too pale meaning she came from somewhere far, and had never heard of him. She had shimmering flowing hair covered in pearls. Was she a goddess? If so she's one he's never seen nor heard of before. If she didn't have a boat and really did swam out here then he had to see some proof.

"Okay then goldie, you want to know where north is?" He pointed his thumb over his shoulder to the sea. "Prove to me you actually swam here by getting me some food. If you can do that, then I'll tell you." He gave a smug smirk.

That it? She just had to bring him food and he'd tell her? That literally was the easiest thing she could do. "Okay then." Aqua walked back to the edge of the beach, she picked up her bag swinging it over her shoulder and grabbed her spear. She turned back to the demigod. "What kind of seafood do you like?" She smirked, feeling positive.

Maui had sat back down on the rock trying to fish again. "Whatever makes it easier for you." He waved his hand not really paying attention.

Aqua looked down at her feet as a water touched her toes the tingling feeling came back she ran into the water before diving down. In just a few seconds, her skin felt slick and wet as her scales covered her body, breast and legs, her lugs turned back into gills gasping for water, and her legs joined back to become a tail once again.

Aqua let out a sighing feeling cheery to see her golden tail again, she even hug her fin. "Now then." She swam back to where the feeding frenzy was. If she was lucky there might still be some creatures out to get some left overs. And she was right, the giant bait ball was had shrunken down to a third of its size but was still quite big, and lucky for her some tuna were still trying to get their fill. "This is a bit larger pray then I'm use to..." She said watching them swim like torpedoes. "But I like a challenge."

* * *

Maui hummed to himself still trying to get even a nibble on his tiny fish hook, but no luck. And what was even more humiliating was seeing the fish swim right under him. "Alright that's it!" He growled, throwing away the hook he tried to catch them barehanded, but they just slipped out of his hands. Groaning, laid down on his back gazing up at the cloudy sky. "Please gods, I know I'm being punished, I can live with that, but please just spare me some food. Anything I'm begging here!" He pleaded.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure leaped out of the water above the demigod, he didn't have a chance to react till the figure landed on top of him with a thud. Groaning in pain, Maui pushed the slimy thing off him at sat up to see what the heck smacked him in the face. His eyes widen as a six foot long tuna in his lap, there was an injury in the gills that looked like it was stabbed.

Maui stared at it for a moment before shouting to the sky. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome!" Called a voice, Maui looked down by the edge to see Aqua smiling up tail and all. His mouth gaped opened. "So, which way do I go?" She asked.

"Ah...ah..." Maui gaped trying to find the words, he had heard of mermaids but they kept hidden so well not to mention for off west where he never had traveled before. "It's that way." Keeping his promised he pointed to his right.

"Aqua looked to where he was pointed feeling confident again. "Thank demigod Maui." She gave him a nod, but before she could leave Maui called out to her.

"H-hey wait! Where are you going? What are you doing all the way out here?" He asked getting curious.

Aqua turned back to him with a serous look in her eyes. "I have traveled far from my home to find my family, and to find the other mermaids. Wish me luck!" She waved goodbye before diving back down disappearing in the water.


	4. To The Depths Of Her Doom

**Here it is! The Chapter where are two** **protagonists meet! BUMB BUMB BUMAAAM! I really had trouble with this one, because I didn't know how Aqua was going to get into the** **Realm of the Monsters. I don't know it works really, cause I know main entrance from the movie in up a cliff, but I wanted to think of other ways to enter and leave the realm.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

It was late evening. The ocean was dark yet tiny specks of glowing plankton glowed brightly. The squid who live deep below came to feed near the surface, and so had the golden mermaid. Aqua, swimming out from the dark speared a squid, making it a meal for herself. She quickly glanced up through the water, she saw millions of stars sparkling. Swimming up she breached the surface, to get a better look, and dined on her squid shish-kabob.

"So beautiful," She sighed. "When the sky is dark like this, it looks like the sky is apart of the sea. Just one giant blanket of blue water, covering the world."

After finishing her squid, it was enough to tied her over for the rest of the night. Clutching her spear and bag, she dived back down. She decided to swim deeper, while sticking to her coordinates. Mermaids are closing related to marine mammals like dolphins and whales, and came swim depths of over three hundred feet deep, or even more. And being the curious little mermaid she was, Aqua wanted to see how deep she could go.

"Living in a reef that is only thirty feet deep, isn't all that exciting." She told herself. "I wonder what kind of creatures live down here." As she swam deeper and deeper she pasted four hundred, then five hundred. It wasn't until she reached one six hundred and sixty feet deep, when she heard a loud booming sound.

She could tell in was an echolocation from a whale and if she had to guess, a big one, and it was coming right above her. Not really sure if this whale was friendly or not, Aqua held her spear in front of her for defense, turning around. As the figure came out from the darkness she only saw its mouth...wide opened...and coming straight at her!

"AAHH!" Aqua screamed, she did a spin kick to the side just missing the gaping mouth. As she straightened herself up she finally saw the whale's eye. It was large as a giant clam shell, and was a deep blue color, yet when it caught her figure it was gentle and kind. Aqua was mesmerized, this mammal had to be at least a hundred feet long. Then it hit her, "You're a blue whale." She gasped. The largest creature in the ocean, and she was swimming right next to it.

It cried out to her, but unlike other dolphins and small whales, she couldn't quite understand what it was saying. But then again not all sea creatures had the ability to communicate with mermaids. Yet she could tell that it wanted her as company.

Smiling Aqua swam with it right beside its eye. Listening closely to the whales calls, she found out that it was a female, and a very old one. "You're so majestic. It's amazing how something so large, can swim so gracefully." Aqua complemented her new friend, as the whale smiled back at her. Aqua continued to ask her questions. "Are you far away from your home to?" The blue while called again, still not quite understand her perfectly, but she managed to understand yes and no.

 _ **'Yes.'**_ The while said.

"Yeah, I'm pretty far from my home to." Aqua sighed, feeling a little sad again. "I'm trying to find my family, my mother particularly. Do you miss your mother?" She asked looking back at the whale's eye.

 _ **'Yes.'**_ She blinked, while giving a slight nod.

"Going along this journey, I never knew how difficult it would be, and just how scary the ocean is. I was safe in my coral reef...but it was very lonely. And even the though the ocean can be scary some times...it's also very beautiful. I mean, I've never seen a blue whale before, or even swam beside one. Thank you." Aqua smiled brightly.

The blue whale cried out again, which to Aqua sounded like _**"Thank you."**_ But soon the whale had to swim on. Saying farewell, Aqua watched as the most amazing creature she had ever seen, disappeared into the darkness of the water.

Aqua kept a smile on her face, feeling joy and happiness go through her. Continuing her dive she went as far as one thousand feet deep, farther down then the blue whale could go, the water was below freezing and there was no visible light, besides the little flickers of green plankton. "Okay, I think this is as far as I can go." Aqua said. But as she stared down at the depths she saw a glowing light, it was faint, but she could see purple. Was it an underwater volcano? She couldn't sense any heat, and she probably reached her limit. But she wanted to know what was down there.

Holding her bag strap in one hand, and her spear in the other, she dove even deeper. The further she went, the brighter the light got. She could see purple light mix with pink, what is that? It wasn't a volcano, but it sertenly bight enough to be one.

Suddenly she felt a current, pulling her further down to the light. Panicking, Aqua turned back up and tried to swim up, but this current was strong, almost like it was pulling her down. "C-come on!" Aqua cried kicking her tail as fast as she could. Inching little by little, but the harder she pushed, the faster she grew tired. It wasn't until a rush of water broke her attempt, she lost her strength. Aqua cried out as the current dragged her down, she panicked, what was going to one she hits the bottom? Or will there even be a bottom?! What it this was the Leviathan's doing? Was it dragging her down so it could capture her just like the other mermaids?!

* * *

As she was dragged down the light grew bight, and a net of bubbles circled her, squinting her eyes, she braced herself, but instead of hitting the bottom of the sea floor, she fell out of the ocean? Gasping out, her gills full of air Aqua fell, now a fish out of water. She saw the grown coming towards her fast, her mind raised. She spotted a weird looking palm tree, and grabbed onto its 'leaf', it slowed down her falling, but snapped, she landed on her side, hard.

She winced in pain clutching her stomach, she took deep breaths of air waiting for her transformation to take control. It was faster then last time, as her mermaid body turn into a human again. Calming herself down, she sat up, feeling battered but not broken.

"Augh...what happened?" She rubbed her head. Looking up she saw the ocean, floating above her. "Whoa, where am I?" She looked around, everything was brightly colored, with strange coral, and plants that she had never seen, on land or sea. Looking back up, it looked like the ocean had sucked out of the earth and was now stuck in the sky.

"This is so weird." Aqua said standing up, she unclipped her Atlantis armor, pulling out her clothes from her bag _(which was dry for some reason)_ and wrapped her top and skirt around her body, before stuffing her armor in her bag. She had also dropped her spear somewhere.

Looking around she spotted it, laying on to of a weird pink leaf, it almost looked more like a tongue. As soon as she grabbed it the pink _'leaf'_ wrapped around her wrist. Aqua screamed as it pulled her over to a gaping mouth of a blue, black spotted angler fish-like monster. Thinking quick, she grabbed a spear sting ray barb in her bag and pierced it, the fish let go crying in agony. Running as fast as she could _(because she hadn't had that much practice)_ and not looking where she was going, Aqau bumped into a yellow rock. But when it opened it's twenty eyes, and roared at her, she screamed and ran a different way. She kept running, till she spotted a crevasse in a rock and hid inside. Her heart was racing so fast and gasping. This was a nightmare, where was she? How will she get back to the water?

Just then, she started to feeling tingling. There was treasure near by? And from how she was feeling there was a mountain of it. Was searching for treasure really a good idea right now? Maybe there was a sunken ship, and she could find better shelter till she figures out how to get back to the ocean. Climbing out for her hiding spot, she followed her sense, till she came up to a giant, upward spiraling seashell cave. "Its in there?" She asked herself, what if this is the home of a monster much worse then the others she's seen. She had two options. "Scary cave, or open terror?" It only took one monsteras screech from behind for her to decide. "Scary cave!" She bolted in.

Peaking around the corner, her eyes grew wide. It was a rather spaces cavern. There was wide array of golds and shiny treasures, a cage made out of discarded bones on the right side, and at the very top of the cave there was an opening that seemed to be the only source of light inside. Aqua saw water at the top, and fish swimming around it. But what caught Aqua's eye the most was right in the center of the cavern. It was a mountain of gold, jewels, trinkets, anything that shined. "Wow...holy mother lode..." Aqua breathed out, slowing walking over to it, but stopped. "Wait, this is way to suspicious. A giant pail of gold inside a cave in a monster realm? What if something is guarding it?" She turned her head left and right seeing if anything was watching her, then stared back at the gold mountain. "Well...to a mermaid...nothing feels more safe and comforting then treasure..." she said unsurely, but started to climb the mountain.

Once she reached the top, she sat down on her knees, eyeing the gold, and jewel underneath her. She let her fingers run through the sparkly trinkets, cupping her hands together she scooped up gold coins, and pearls. "It's so beautiful." She gasped out smiling, then turned to a straight face. "This can't be real." Then suddenly she remembered what the Kraken had told her.

 _ **"A monstrous crustacean with a hunger for shiny things."**_ She was on a mountain of shiny treasures, and stuck inside a world of monstrous creatures...it only took two and two to connect in her mind. "Oh no..."

But it was too late, before she could react, the mountain shook, sending her body backwards. Gasping, Aqua tumbled down, she saw that the mountain pile was being lifted off the ground, and three gigantic crab legs with one broken, coming out from under. Aqua yelped as she fell of the edge, but before she hit the ground something grabbed her leg, hosting her up. Frantic being held upside down, Aqua quickly held her skirt up, and saw that a claw had grabbed her leg. It then turned her so she could be faced with its owner. Aqua's eyes went wide as her heart almost stopped, as she finally saw the full monster, a giant coconut crab. It was purple, with long antennae, followed by large eyeballs that stared right at her.

The monster chuckled as it eyed her. "What do we have here?" It asked in a male voice, as _'he'_ grinned, showing off barnacles stuck to his teeth. He brought her closer to his eyes. "It's a golden, sparkly...what a minute." He then frowned. "Ugh it's a human!" He held her back a little. "What do you think you're doing down here, in the Realm of the Monsters?"

Aqua was too frightened to speak, her mouth feeling dry. "I-I-I...u-umm..."

The monster eyed her. "Hmm, somethings off here. You look human," The giant crab the moved his antennae around her, sniffing her. "but you don't smell like one." Aqua flinched away from feeling his antenna touching her skin, she closed her eyes, shaking. He finally stopped, then graced the tip of his other claw through her golden hair. "You're a funny-looking little thing, aren't ya?" He then spotted her shell hair clip and reached for it.

Aqua's eyes shot open, and found her courage. She swatted her free hand at his claw, it didn't hurt him, but he moved away. "Don't touch that!" She shouted, glaring.

"Oh, what? Is it special to you?" He asked mockingly, then turned serious. "What exactly are you doing here? And in _MY_ lair of all places? Do you not know who the Great Tamatoa is?"

Aqua shook her head, her courage now gone. "N-no sorry I don't! L-look, I d-didn't know this was your home! I was caught in an underwater current, and it pulled me down here! I just thought this was a safe place to hide, till I found my way out!" Aqua explained.

The crab known as Tamatoa stared at her again for some time, he couldn't tell what she was. She looked like any other human, being fair skinned. Yet she didn't smell like one, her golden hair, and pretty voiced got him thinking of something else, but he couldn't quite put his claw on it.

Aqua was beyond scared, so this is what the Kraken was warning her about, and being stupid and following her craving for treasure, she just wondered into her own doom. She had to think of a way to escape, but what? She looked back up at him with pleading eyes. "Please, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to entered. I-I'm just trying to find my pod. I promise to leave and never come back!"

"Heh," He let out, "so you don't know who I am hu?" He leaned his face closer, as Aqua closed her eyes, turning her head away. "Well then...I guess I'll just have to tell you!" He then smiled at her.

"Wha?" Aqua opened her eyes looking surprised.

"In song form!" He then flicked her up in the air, causing her to yelp out, then grabbing her right side up by her waste. He threw a shell up to the top of the caver that was open to water. As the shell shined like a disco ball.

 **(A/N. I am not that creative when it comes to songs, so I'm just going to use the same song from the movie, with little changes)**

 _~Well Tamatoa hasn't always this glam, I was a grab little crab once_

 _Now I know I could be happy as a clam, because I'm beautiful baby~_

Aqua looked up at him, with shock and confusion. Dose this guy have mood swings so often?

 _~Though fools would say listen to your heart_

 _Be who you are on the inside_

 _I need three words to tear they're argument apart_

 _They all lied!~_

He then started spinning around with her in his claw like she was dancing along with him.

 _~I'd rather be SHINY! Like a treasure from a sunken pirate wreck_

 _Scrub the deck and make look shiny_

 _I will sparkle like a wealthy woman's neck~_ he graced his free claw over his neck and then slights it mimicking cutting it. Aqua held her own neck, as she gulped. _~Just a sec, doncha now~_ He then looked up to the water sky-light, seeing fish swim around.

 _~Fish are Dumb, dumb, dumb, they chance anything that glitters_

 _Beginners. Oooah!_

 _And here they come, come, come to the brightest thing that glitters~_ the fish spotted the shining coming off his shell and swam down only to fall out of the water, right into the coconut crab's mouth. _~Mm, fish dinner~_ he swallowed. Then lifted Aqua over his head, wickedly grinning. _~I just love free, food. You look like seafood~_ he licked his lips he closed his eyes, opening wide as he slowly brought her down.

At this moment Aqua started panicking. Oh Neptune, he was going to eat her! Her mind raced every second she had. Got to thing of something! Got to think of something! She then looked up here the fish came flying down, open water! Lifting her arms up, she twirled her wrists as if wrapping a net of water in her hand. She then pulled down as hard as she could. The water above them came down like a waterfall. Tamatoa just opened his eyes to see water coming down of him, mostly in his gaping mouth.

Chocking on the water, he dropped Aqua who landed on her side. It didn't hurt that much, so she quickly got up and ran, but she didn't get to far. Some water splashed of her skin, and very quickly her legs turned back into a tail. She fell down on her stomach, then slipped over using her arms to lift her body up in a seating position. Great, without her legs she was a beached fish, with no way of escaping.

Tamatoa sprayed out the salty water from his mouth, coffin up. He panted filling his gills with air. He looked up at the surface. "How did that happen?" He then glared down trying to find the human. "Where are you, you sneaky little-" he then spotted her, but instead of seeing a human, he saw she now had a tail. His eyes widen and the creature below him, then it hit him. Golden hair, a beautiful voice, able to control water, and a shiny tail: she was a mermaid.

He then grinned down at the helpless Aqua, who tried to scoot back away from him. She spotted her bag she had dropped and grabbed it. "Well now~" he said stepping close to her with little effort. "I thought I smelled something fishy about you." He chuckled at his pun. He then reached for her grabbing her by the waste again, lifting her up. Aqua grabbed a sting ray barb and tried to stab his claw with it, but it just broke. She grabbed some more and started chucking them at his eyes, which his eyes looped around dodging them. "Now, now, there's no need to be ruined." Using his other claw he used to hold her arms down. "If I had known you were valuable, I wouldn't have tried to eat you."

"Let go of me!" Aqua yelled, no longer afraid. she pulled her arms out, and started beating her fists down on his claw, wiggling her tail from under.

"I'm afraid I can't do that now~" She stopped beating him, as she watched his expression changed to sinister. "I have heard of your kind before. Tell me, is it true that you can sense treasure miles away?"

Aqua didn't like where this was going. "N-no, that's not true." She tried to lie, but she new she sucked at it.

"Don't lie to me." Tamatoa growled, but let it go. "Well then mermaid, I have thought of a better idea. As you can see, I am a _collector~_. I enjoy anything that is rare and that sparkles." He brought her closer to his eyes. "And I think you would be the perfect treasure for my collection." He grinned wider.

Aqua gasped out, eyes wide. He was going to keep her?! As if she was a mere jewel?! "Y-you can't! You can't do this!" She struggled again trying to pull herself out. "I am, _*pull*_ a goddess! _*pull*_ you are a crustacean! You should _*pull*_ fear me!"

Tamatoa watched in amazement, her struggling and telling him that she was above him was quite hilarious. "Is that so? Well, for where I'm standing it seems like the goddess doesn't have the right to tell me what to do. And you seem really young to be a goddess." He shook his claw wiggling her around so she would stop beating on his claw. "I've made up my mind. My dear mermaid, you now belong to the Great Tamatoa! You should be honored."

"No, never! I with not be your treasure! You can't do this!" Aqua cried out.

"Babe, I've already have." The coconut crab lifted behind his mountain of gold and picked up a giant purple clam shell. Cracking it open, he threw her into it, as she cried out, before closing her inside.

Aqua tumbled in, landing on her side, watching in horror as he closed her in. It was spacious for her to sit upright and lay down, and here were cracks along the get for air to get in. By this time her tail had dried up and turned back to legs. "Let me out!" She started punched and kicking the shell.

"No use trying, just give up." She heard him say. "You're not going anywhere, Babe, so just except it."

"No, I can't!" Aqua kept on fighting, she started to tear up a little. She was so close to finding her pod, and now she's a prisoner of a monsteras crab. "Please! You have to let me go! I have to find my family...I have to find my mother." She couldn't hold back the tears, and she softly cried.

From outside the shell Tamatoa heard her weeping. He just rolled his eyes, expecting this to happen. _'She'll get over it.'_ He told himself. He set the clam shell with his new prize gem inside, at the very top of treasure hoard. He dug a pit under him and shimmied himself back in the grown dosing back to sleep.

Inside the shell Aqua cried. This was all her fault, her own stupidity. If she had just swam back to the surface this wouldn't be in this world of nightmares, and in prison by the worst monster there is. Weeks of traveling, getting lost, starving, or dying from exhaustion. To be tramp in the monster realm. The little mermaid weeped, as she cried herself to sleep.


End file.
